1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an adjustable transport system for ambulatory patients and the like; and more specifically to a patient transport system that can be adjusted to accommodate an array of patient heights, so that the patient's back and neck are comfortably supported during transport, and which can be folded for storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Proper support of a patient's neck and back is extremely critical when the patient is being transported in a chair or stretcher unit, especially when the chair or stretcher is traversing stairs and rough terrain that has a tendency to increase jostling of the patient. In particular, the patient's neck and back require stability, especially in cases where patient transport is effectuated over steps or other terrain that call for a change in height, cracks in the pavement, and other rough features likely to adversely impact the patient's body. Many of the patient transport chairs heretofore disclosed and utilized do not provide proper support for the back and neck of patients of varying sizes. As a result, taller patients tend to be vulnerable to discomfort, and even injury, as their heads, necks, and upper back are not adequately supported. In addition to lacking back height adjustment capabilities, many of the patient transport systems heretofore disclosed and utilized cannot be readily folded for quick, convenient storage while also providing a lightweight apparatus that can be carried effortlessly.
Even still, many of the patient transport chairs heretofore disclosed and utilized do not provide efficient mobility during traverse of stairways and rough terrain, as the wheels of the chair are small and difficult to maneuver. However, if the wheels were omni-directional, larger in size, and composed of rubber, such rough terrain would be readily traversed with ease. Unfortunately, such omnidirectional, large, rubber wheels have heretofore not been disclosed for use with patient transport systems. Moreover, handles heretofore provided by patient transport devices are located in inconvenient positions and tend to cause back strain when an operator is lifting the transport device.
Chairs heretofore disclosed and utilized for transporting patients down stairs fail to provide the ability to adjust the back and neck support of the patient, further accentuating the patient's discomfort, or even compounding the patient's injury. U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,888 to Bowie, Jr. et al. discloses a foldable chair device adapted to facilitate the transportation of persons down stairways, providing treaded belt assemblies to assist in the transport of the chair. U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,234 to Egen discloses a carriage appointed for descending stairs with the assistance of an operator having a chair formation and includes dual belts extending along a rigid longitudinal frame with two pulleys mounted at the opposite ends thereof to facilitate staircase descent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,343 to Way, et al. discloses a stair chair comprising a seat assembly mounted to a main frame and configured to pivot about a first pivot axis so that the chair can be folded for storage. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0206555 to Schneider discloses an improved stair chair stretcher assembly whereby an oval belt for facilitating traversing stairs is attached to the bottom rear portion of an ambulance stretcher. None of these disclosures provide an adjustable patient transport system that provides a chair having an adjustable back frame and adjustable material support system that allows the back portion of a chair to be adjusted to comfortably and safely support a patient's back, neck, and head.
Other transport devices are stretcher conformations and cannot be converted into chairs for transporting a patient. Both U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,770 to Weil, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,159 to Du-Bois disclose carts or undercarriage devices for transporting a stretcher having collapsible legs. However, neither of these devices can be arranged in a chair conformation. Furthermore, neither of these devices provide for adjustment of the back portion of the apparatus.
Where chair-to-stretcher conformations are disclosed in the transport devices heretofore disclosed and utilized, these devices lack means for adjusting the back and neck support of the device, with the result that the patient is not adequately supported. U.S. Pat. No. 567,524 to Wagner, et al. discloses a folding stretcher that can be configured to a chair or a stretcher arrangement. U.S. Pat. No. 2,362,721 to Reynolds discloses a convertible and collapsible lifter adapted to be adjusted in one or more positions to support and transport a convalescent patient. U.S. Pat. No. 2,699,557 to Gravatt discloses a stretcher that can be converted from a reclining position to a chair position while the patient is resting. U.S. Pat. No. 2,858,879 to Branson discloses a device having a unshaped telescoping section in one end so that the device can form a collapsible cot, chair or stretcher. U.S. Pat. No. 3,038,174 to Brown, et al. discloses a paraplegic hospital chair that can be converted to a stretcher having means to adjust the back to suitable incline positions along the horizontal plane. U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,758 to Femeau discloses a combined stretcher and stair chair wherein a back support frame section has a pair of spaced tubular frame members adapted to extend and retract so that the chair to stretcher (or stretcher to chair) conformations can be achieved. None of these disclosures provide an adjustable patient transport system having an adjustable back frame and adjustable material support system that allows the back portion of a chair to be adjusted.
Numerous other chair-to-stretcher apparatuses also fail to provide for back height adjustment. U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,511 to Weil, et al. discloses a stretcher chair comprised of a plurality of pivoted panels which may be configured to a stretcher or chair conformation optionally supported on inclined skids, and providing for adjustment of the angle of inclination of the backrest. U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,219 to Femeau, et al. discloses an ambulance cart that can be converted into a rolling chair by way of releasable leg bracing means for releasing pivotally mounted legs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,279 to Vance discloses a combination stretcher and stair chair comprising a main frame pivotally connected to a torso section, a leg rest section, a set of diagonal braces, and means for releasabley locking the sections in both the collapsed and elevated positions. U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,781 to Bourgraf, et al. discloses a combination ambulance cot and chair broadly comprising a support frame having a roller base, and a wheeled back segment and operating so that the cot is elevated to permit rolling of the reclined cot into the back of an ambulance. Foreign Patent No. GB 2,234,442A to Lee, et al. discloses an emergency stretcher comprising a framework having two end sections and a middle section jointed by pivoting means so that the stretcher can be configured to a chair conformation. None of these disclosures provides an adjustable patient transport system that comprises a chair having an adjustable back frame and an adjustable material support system that allows the back portion of a chair to be adjusted.
Other transport devices heretofore disclosed and utilized provide for head restraints, which can act to provide stabilization to the head, but do not provide support for the upper back, neck, and head, and are not effectuated through use of an adjustable back portion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,048 to Medina discloses a collapsible wheelchair for easy storage wherein the chair includes a headband attached to a back section of the chair. The headband slides along the back section, and is connected around the patient's head to stabilize and restrain the head from jostling about. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,524 Medina discloses a collapsible chair for transporting people up and down stairs providing a head restraint that can slide up and down an upper frame section. Although both these patent provide a head restraint, neither provide an adjustable back portion having an adjustable head support portion interstitially connected to adjustable material fed from a material roller system. The head restraint merely stabilizes the head, but it does not provide support for the upper back and the neck region of the patient.
Significantly, none of the adjustable patient transport systems heretofore disclosed and utilized provides a system that has an adjustable head support portion interstitially connected to adjustable support material that is fed from a material roller system. None of the stair chairs heretofore disclosed and utilized provides an adjustable patient transport system that provides a chair having an adjustable head support portion interstitially connected to adjustable support material that can readily be converted into a stretcher. In addition to lacking these crucial elements, many of the patient transport systems heretofore disclosed and utilized cannot be readily folded for compact storage and are not lightweight apparatuses that can be carried effortlessly.
For the foregoing reasons, there exists a need in the art for an adjustable patient transport system having a back support and head support portion capable of being adjusted to comfortably and safely transport a patient. Specifically, there exists a need in the art for an adjustable patient transport system having a head support potion being fixedly attached to adjustable support material that is in turn fed from a material roller system. Additionally, there is a need in the art for an adjustable patient transport system that provide optimal comfort to the operator, by providing large rubber omni-directional wheels that glide over rough terrain and by providing carrying handles that are ergonomically functional so that the operator can lift the device without sustaining back injury. In addition, there is a need in the art for an adjustable patient transport system that can be collapsed or folded so that the device can be housed in small spaces, such as is found in the common ambulance. For the forgoing reasons there exists a need in the art for an adjustable patient transport system that can be adjusted to accommodate a array of patients' heights so that the patient's back and neck are comfortably and safely supported during transport.